As predictions of the coronavirus’ impact have grown more dire and the White House has belatedly acknowledged the pathogen’s repercussions on the nation, the media have increasingly sought to portray the administration as out of touch with early warnings from medical experts about the coming storm. A closer look at the public statements of those very same experts during the early weeks of the outbreak reveals that the administration’s initial reassurances were largely aligned with the assessments of the medical community.
[The timeline for this article was actually compiled by scanning GDELT's online news monitoring for quotes by Dr. Fauci as a starting point, showcasing the power of chronicling public statements by leaders over time.]